Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1887-06-03
THE PRIMARY ELECTIONS.
Law of the State Regulating the
Manner of Holding Them.

mary elections OF the several politi-
cal parties in the Common wealth
of Pennsylvania.
SEC. l. Be it enacted, etc, That
from and after the passage of this act
it shall be lawful and is hereby made
the duties of the Judges, Inspectors
and Clerks or other officers Of the pri-
mary elections, meetings or caucus
held for the purpose of nominating
candidates for State, city aad county
Offices within the Commonwealth of
Pennsylvania, before entering upon
the discharge of their duties, several
ly to take and subscribe 10 an oath or
affirmation in the presence of each
other in form as follows, namely:
81, CA b do that | will as Judge,
Inspector or Clerk (as the case may
be) at the ensuing election impartial-
| ly and faithfully perform my duties,
in accordance with the laws and con-
stitution of the Commonwealth OF
Pennsylvania, and in accordance with
the rules and regulations adopted by
the party of the county OF
for the government OF the said prl-
mary elections, meeting or caucus, to
The best of my judgment and abili-
ties;n the oath or affirmation shall be
first administered to the Judge by
one of the Inspectors, then the Judge
80 qualified shall administer the oath
or affirmation to the Inspectors and
Clerks, and may administer the oath
to any elector Offering to vote as to
his qualifications to vote at such cleo
ton.
SEC. 2 If any Judge, Inspector,
Clerk or other officer of primary
election as aforesaid shall presume to
act in such capacity before the taking
and subscribing to the oath or aflirma-
ton required by this act, he shall on
conviction, be fined not exceeding two
hundred dollars; and if any Judge,
Inspector, Clerk or other cficer, when
in the discharge of his duties as such,
shall willfully disregard or violate
the provisions of any rule duly made
by the seid party of county
for the government of the primary
elections of the party, lie shall on
conviction, be fined not exceeding two
hundred dollars, and if any Judge or
Inspector of primary election as
aforesaid shall knowingly reject the
vote of any person entitled to vote
under the rules Of the said party,
or shall knowingly receive the vote
of any person or persons not qualified
as aforesaid, Chez shall On conviction,
be fined not exceeding two hundred
dollars; and if any Judge, Inspector,
Clerk or other officer Of a primary
election as aforesaid shall be guilty of
any wiIIful fraud in the discharge of
his duties, by destroying or defacing
ballots, adding ballots to the poll,
other than those lawfully voted, by
stuffing the ballot box, by false count-
ing, by making false returns, or by
any act or thing whatsoever, the per-
son 80 offending shall be deemed
guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon
conviction shall be fined not exceed
ing FIVE hundred dollars or imprison-
ment not exceeding one year, or both,
or either, at the discretion of the
Court.
All acts or parts of acts of Assem-
bly, inconsistent with this act are
hereby repealed, except in counties
or cities where special acts are in
force for the same purpose; ProUided,
That the provisions of this act shall
entail no expense to the counties or
cities.
Approved the 29sh Of June, 1881.
We reproduce the above law at this
time in order to aid the Republicans
in holding the Primary election that
comes off on Saturday next, June 4.
While the law speaks of Judges,
Inspectors and Clerks" yet it will be
noticed that the words "or other Of
ficers" are used. These "other off
GERS" are, or may be, determined by
the rules of the party in any county
holding primary. But when per
sons sufficient can be procured it
would be we'll enough, and perhaps
safer, to have as full board as at a
regular election. The idea of the law
was to follow the general election
law. One Inspector, however,is suf-
ficient at Primary.
The officers must be sworn. Any
person agreed upon as one of the In
spectors can first administer the oath
to the person sg.eed upon as the
Judge, then the said Judge in turn is to
administer the oath to the Inspectors
and clerks. The proper blanks for
holding the primary have been sent
out by the Chairman of the County
Committee, and his call, as published,
Indicates the time, manner and places
of holding the same, as well as all the
officers to be nominated or elected.
The tickets used and circulated by
the candidates also indicate what are
to be nominated. On some of the
first printed of these, however, there
was omitted place or space for the
Delegates to the State Convention,
that have to be elected at the coming
primary, and perhaps also space for
Coroner. These, however, can be
written upon all such tickets that
may be used, and upon any place OF
the same. The voter should be care
ful in making up his ticket to see
that it embraces all that ere to be
nominated or elected.
One good provision which the
High License bill contained when il
left the House was destroyed by the
Senate. The measure as il was pass-